U.S. patent application number 13/770109 was filed with the patent office on 2013-09-26 for seat assembly having a heater wire and a method of manufacture.
This patent application is currently assigned to LEAR CORPORATION. The applicant listed for this patent is LEAR CORPORATION. Invention is credited to Carsten Kortwig.
Application Number | 20130249258 13/770109 |
Document ID | / |
Family ID | 49112206 |
Filed Date | 2013-09-26 |
United States Patent
Application |
20130249258 |
Kind Code |
A1 |
Kortwig; Carsten |
September 26, 2013 |
SEAT ASSEMBLY HAVING A HEATER WIRE AND A METHOD OF MANUFACTURE
Abstract
A seat assembly having a heater wire and a method of
manufacture. The heater wire is made of an electrically conductive
material and may be ultrasonically welded to a substrate, such as a
trim cover assembly or a seat cushion.
Inventors: |
Kortwig; Carsten;
(Bischofsheim, DE) |
|
Applicant: |
Name |
City |
State |
Country |
Type |
LEAR CORPORATION |
Southfield |
MI |
US |
|
|
Assignee: |
LEAR CORPORATION
Southfield
MI
|
Family ID: |
49112206 |
Appl. No.: |
13/770109 |
Filed: |
February 19, 2013 |
Current U.S.
Class: |
297/180.12 ;
156/73.2 |
Current CPC
Class: |
B60N 2/5685
20130101 |
Class at
Publication: |
297/180.12 ;
156/73.2 |
International
Class: |
B60N 2/56 20060101
B60N002/56 |
Foreign Application Data
Date |
Code |
Application Number |
Mar 22, 2012 |
DE |
10 2012 204 561.9 |
Claims
1. A method of manufacturing a seat assembly comprising: providing
a substrate; positioning a heater wire on a surface of the
substrate; and ultrasonically welding the heater wire to the
substrate.
2. The method of claim 1 wherein the substrate is a cushion that is
configured to be covered by a trim cover assembly.
3. The method of claim 1 wherein the substrate is a trim cover
assembly that is configured to at least partially cover a
cushion.
4. The method of claim 1 wherein the step of positioning the heater
wire includes providing a heater wire source, feeding the heater
wire from the heater wire source to an ultrasonic welding head, and
moving the ultrasonic welding head along a predetermined path,
wherein the heater wire is positioned on the surface of the
substrate when the ultrasonic welding head is moved along the
predetermined path.
5. The method of claim 4 wherein the step of ultrasonically welding
the heater wire includes ultrasonically welding the heater wire to
the substrate with the ultrasonic welding head at multiple spaced
apart positions along the predetermined path.
6. The method of claim 4 wherein the step of ultrasonically welding
the heater wire includes ultrasonically welding the heater wire to
the substrate with the ultrasonic welding head continuously along
the predetermined path.
7. The method of claim 1 wherein the step of positioning the heater
wire includes providing a heater wire source, feeding the heater
wire from the heater wire source to an ultrasonic welding head, and
moving the substrate with respect to the ultrasonic welding head to
position the heater wire along a predetermined path.
8. The method of claim 7 wherein the step of ultrasonically welding
the heater wire includes ultrasonically welding the heater wire to
the substrate with the ultrasonic welding head at multiple spaced
apart positions.
9. The method of claim 7 wherein the step of ultrasonically welding
the heater wire includes ultrasonically welding the heater wire to
the substrate with the ultrasonic welding head continuously along
the predetermined path.
10. A method of manufacturing a seat assembly comprising: providing
a cushion; positioning a heater wire into engagement with the
cushion; and ultrasonically welding the heater wire to the
cushion.
11. The method of claim 10 wherein the heater wire includes a wire
portion and a coating disposed on the wire portion, wherein
ultrasonically welding the heater wire at least partially melts the
coating such that the coating is welded to the cushion.
12. The method of claim 11 wherein the heater wire is disposed
completely above a surface of the cushion after the heater wire is
ultrasonically welded to the cushion.
13. The method of claim 11 wherein force is exerted on the heater
wire during ultrasonic welding such that the heater wire penetrates
a surface of the cushion.
14. The method of claim 11 further comprising positioning a trim
cover assembly over the cushion such that the heater wire engages
the trim cover assembly.
15. The method of claim 10 wherein the heater wire includes a
center axis and wherein the center axis is positioned above a
surface of the cushion when the heater wire is positioned into
engagement with the cushion and the center axis is positioned below
a surface of the cushion after the heater wire is ultrasonically
welded to the cushion.
16. The method of claim 10 wherein the heater wire is
ultrasonically welded to the cushion along its entire length.
17. The method of claim 10 wherein the heater wire is
ultrasonically welded to the cushion at discrete positions that are
spaced apart from each other.
18. A seat assembly comprising: a cushion; a trim cover assembly
disposed on the cushion; and a heater wire that is made of an
electrically conductive material and that is disposed in direct
engagement and attached to the trim cover assembly and/or the
cushion.
19. The seat assembly of claim 18 wherein the heater wire is an
uncoated electrically conductive wire that engages and is
ultrasonically welded to at least one of the trim cover assembly
and the cushion.
20. The seat assembly of claim 18 wherein the heater wire includes
a wire portion and a coating disposed on and around the wire
portion, wherein the coating engages and is ultrasonically welded
to at least one of the trim cover assembly and the cushion.
Description
CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS
[0001] This application claims foreign priority benefits under 35
U.S.C. .sctn.119(a)-(d) to DE 10 2012 204 561.9, filed Mar. 22,
2012, the disclosure of which is hereby incorporated by reference
in its entirety.
TECHNICAL FIELD
[0002] The present application relates to a seat assembly having a
heater wire and a method of manufacture.
BACKGROUND
[0003] A heated seat is disclosed in U.S. Patent Publication No.
2011/0226751.
SUMMARY
[0004] In at least one embodiment, a method of manufacturing a seat
assembly is provided. The method may include providing a substrate,
positioning a heater wire on a surface of the substrate, and
ultrasonically welding the heater wire to the substrate.
[0005] In at least one embodiment, a seat assembly is provided. The
seat assembly may include a cushion, a trim cover assembly, and a
heater wire. The trim cover assembly may be disposed on the
cushion. The heater wire may be made of an electrically conductive
material and may be disposed directly on the trim cover assembly
and/or the cushion.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
[0006] FIG. 1 is a perspective view of an exemplary vehicle seat
assembly.
[0007] FIG. 2 is a perspective view of an ultrasonic welding
apparatus and a substrate having a heater wire that may be provided
with the seat assembly.
[0008] FIGS. 3 through 12 are side section views of exemplary
embodiments of a portion of a seat assembly having a heater
wire.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION
[0009] As required, detailed embodiments of the present invention
are disclosed herein; however, it is to be understood that the
disclosed embodiments are merely exemplary of the invention that
may be embodied in various and alternative forms. The figures are
not necessarily to scale; some features may be exaggerated or
minimized to show details of particular components. Therefore,
specific structural and functional details disclosed herein are not
to be interpreted as limiting, but merely as a representative basis
for teaching one skilled in the art to variously employ the present
invention.
[0010] Referring to FIG. 1, an exemplary seat assembly 10 is shown.
The seat assembly 10 may be configured for use in a vehicle, such
as a motor vehicle like a car or truck. The seat assembly 10 may
include a seat bottom 12 and a seat back 14 that may be pivotally
disposed on the seat bottom 12. The seat bottom 12 may be
configured to be mounted to a surface 16, such as a vehicle
floor.
[0011] Referring to FIGS. 1 and 2, the seat bottom 12 and/or seat
back 14 may include a substrate 20 that receives a heater wire 22
that may be used to heat a portion of the seat assembly 10 and a
seat occupant. The substrate 20 may be a trim cover assembly 24
and/or a cushion 26 that may be provided with the seat bottom 12
and/or seat back 14. The trim cover assembly 24 may provide at
least a portion of an exterior seating surface of the seat assembly
10. The trim cover assembly 26 may include one or more trim panels
that may be made of any suitable material, such as fabric, leather,
vinyl, or combinations thereof. The cushion 26 may be disposed
under and may engage the trim cover assembly 24. The cushion 26 may
be made of any suitable material such as foam.
[0012] The heater wire 22 may be positioned on a surface of the
substrate 20 with an ultrasonic welding apparatus 30. In at least
one embodiment, the ultrasonic welding apparatus 30 may include a
table 32, a heater wire source 34, an ultrasonic welding head 36,
and at least one actuator 38.
[0013] The table 32 may support the substrate 20 and may include a
device like as a fixture or clamp for holding the substrate in a
desired position.
[0014] The heater wire source 34 may be configured to provide the
heater wire 22 to the ultrasonic welding head 36. In at least one
exemplary embodiment, the heater wire source 34 may be a reel or
spool that is configured to rotate about an axis of rotation to
feed the heater wire 22 to the ultrasonic welding head 36. In at
least one embodiment, the heater wire source 34 may be disposed
proximate the ultrasonic welding head 36.
[0015] The ultrasonic welding head 36 may be configured to
ultrasonically weld the heater wire 22 to the substrate 20. More
specifically, the ultrasonic welding head 36 may provide or produce
high-frequency ultrasonic acoustic vibrations that may produce
localized heating for welding the heater wire 22 to the substrate
20. As such, the heater wire 22 may be welded to the substrate 20
without providing an electrical current through the heater wire 22.
The heater wire 22 may be ultrasonically welded to the substrate 20
in a continuous or discontinuous manner. More specifically, the
heater wire 22 may be continuously welded to the substrate 20
wherever the heater wire 22 engages the substrate 20 or may be
discontinuously welded to the substrate 20 at discrete, spaced
apart positions such that ultrasonic welds are absent in at least
one position where the heater wire 22 engages the substrate 20,
such as between sequential ultrasonic welds. In addition, the
ultrasonic welding head 36 may position and exert pressure on the
heater wire 22. This pressure may affect the location or
penetration depth of the heater wire 22 with respect to substrate
20 and/or the ultrasonic weld location as will be discussed in more
detail below.
[0016] One or more actuators 38 may be configured to move the table
32 and/or the ultrasonic welding head 36. The actuator 38 may be of
any suitable type, such as a mechanical, electromechanical,
electrical, pneumatic, or hydraulic actuator. In at least one
embodiment, one or more actuators 38 may be used to move the table
32 and/or the ultrasonic welding head 36 along one or more axes,
such as orthogonal X-Y-Z axes. The actuators 38 may be controlled
by a controller or may be part of a computer numerical control
(CNC) system that may be used to move the table 32 and/or
ultrasonically welding head 36 along a predetermined path to
position the heater wire 22 on the substrate 20 in a predetermined
pattern or configuration. For example, the actuator 38 and
ultrasonic welding head 36 may cooperate to position the heater
wire 22 on the substrate 20 in a serpentine or zigzag pattern in
which the heater wire 22 extends back and forth across the surface
of the substrate 20. Opposing ends of the heater wire 22 may be
positioned near each other to facilitate coupling to an electrical
connector which may facilitate coupling to an electrical power
source that may provide current that may be used to heat the heater
wire 22.
[0017] Referring to FIGS. 2 and 3, the heater wire 22 may be
provided in various configurations. In at least one embodiment, the
heater wire 22 may include a wire portion 40 and a coating 42.
[0018] The wire portion 40 may be made of an electrically
conductive material, such as a metal or metal alloy like stainless
steel or a copper alloy. The wire portion 40 may have any suitable
configuration, such as a flat or ribbon configuration that may have
a generally rectangular cross section or a substantially circular
cross section as shown in FIG. 3. In addition, the wire portion 40
may be disposed along or extend along a center axis 44.
[0019] The coating 42, if provided, may be disposed around and may
engage an exterior surface of the wire portion 40. The coating 42
may be made of a material that may be an electrical insulator
and/or that may be ultrasonically welded to the substrate 20. For
example, the coating 42 may be a varnish, lacquer, or a polymeric
material and may extend continuously around the wire portion 40 in
one or more embodiments. If the coating 42 is omitted, then the
wire portion 40 may engage and may be ultrasonically welded to the
substrate 20.
[0020] Referring to FIGS. 3-12, various section views that help
illustrate a method of making a seat assembly 10 having a heater
wire 22 disposed on a substrate 20 are shown. These figures show a
heater wire 22 having a coating 42 and a wire portion 40 having a
substantially circular cross section, but it is to be understood
that heater wires having other cross sections or that do not have a
coating 42 may be employed. In FIGS. 4-7, the substrate 20 upon
which the heater wire 22 is provided is a cushion 26. In FIGS.
8-12, the substrate 20 is a trim cover assembly 24.
[0021] Referring to FIGS. 3-6, an exemplary sequence of method
steps is shown.
[0022] First, the heater wire 22 may be positioned on a surface 50
of the cushion 26 as illustrated in FIG. 3. As such, the center
axis 44 of the wire portion 40 may be disposed above the surface
50.
[0023] Second, the heater wire 22 may be ultrasonically welded to
the surface 50 as shown in FIG. 4. Ultrasonic welding may at least
partially melt the coating 42, thereby increasing the coating
surface area that is in contact with the surface 50 and bonding the
coating 42 to the surface 50. In this embodiment, the heater wire
22 is ultrasonically welded such that the heater wire 22 is
disposed on and does not substantially deform or penetrate the
surface 50.
[0024] Third, the trim cover assembly 24 may be installed over the
cushion 26 and the heater wire 22 as shown in FIG. 5. Positioning
of the trim cover assembly 24 may be preceded by positioning the
cushion 26 on the seat bottom 12 or the seat back 14. The trim
cover assembly 24 may include a single layer that engages the
cushion 26 and the heater wire 22 or multiple layers, such as a
first layer 52 and a second layer 54. The second layer 54, which
may be made of a compressible material such as felt or foam, may
engage the cushion 26 and the heater wire 22 and may be compressed
near the heater wire 22 to reduce deformation of the first layer
52.
[0025] Referring to FIGS. 6 and 7, another embodiment of a seat
assembly 10 having a heater wire 22 disposed on a cushion 26 is
shown. In this embodiment, additional force is exerted upon the
heater wire 22 during ultrasonic welding, which causes the heater
wire 22 to penetrate the cushion 26 or deform the surface 50 such
that the heater wire 22 is at least partially inserted into the
cushion 26 as shown in FIG. 6. The additional force may result in
the center axis 44 being aligned with or positioned below the
surface 50 after ultrasonic welding, which may increase the surface
area that engages or that is ultrasonic welded to the cushion 26
and may help reduce the distance by which the heater wire 22
extends from the surface 50. The cushion 26 may be positioned or
installed on the seat bottom 12 or the seat back 14 and the trim
cover assembly 24 may then be installed over the cushion 26 and the
heater wire 22 as shown in FIG. 7. Again the trim cover assembly 24
may include a single layer or multiple layers, such as a first
layer 52 and a second layer 54. The second layer 54 may engage the
cushion 26 but may be compressed near the heater wire 22 by a
lesser amount than the embodiment shown in FIG. 5 due to
positioning of the heater wire 22 within the cushion 26.
[0026] Referring to FIGS. 8-10, another exemplary sequence of
method steps is shown. First, the heater wire 22 may be positioned
on a surface 60 of the trim cover assembly 24 as illustrated in
FIG. 8. As such, the center axis 44 of the wire portion 40 may not
penetrate the surface 60. The trim cover assembly 24 may include a
single layer or multiple layers as previously described.
[0027] Second, the heater wire 22 may be ultrasonically welded to
the surface 60 as shown in FIG. 9. Ultrasonic welding may at least
partially melt the coating 42, thereby increasing the coating
surface area that is in contact with the surface 60 and bonding the
coating 42 to the surface 60. In this embodiment, the heater wire
22 is ultrasonically welded such that the heater wire 22 is
disposed on and does not substantially deform or penetrate the
surface 60.
[0028] Third, the trim cover assembly 24 may be installed over the
cushion 26 as shown in FIG. 10. Positioning of the trim cover
assembly 24 may be preceded by positioning the cushion 26 on the
seat bottom 12 or the seat back 14. Installation of the trim cover
assembly 24 may cause the heater wire 22 to deform or penetrate the
surface 50 of the cushion 26.
[0029] Referring to FIGS. 11 and 12, another embodiment of a seat
assembly 10 having a heater wire 22 disposed on a trim cover
assembly 24 is shown. In this embodiment, additional force is
exerted upon the heater wire 22 during ultrasonic welding, which
causes the heater wire 22 to penetrate the trim cover assembly 24
or deform the surface 60 such that the heater wire 22 is at least
partially inserted into the trim cover assembly 24 as shown in FIG.
11. The additional force may result in the center axis 44 being
aligned with or positioned below the surface 60 after ultrasonic
welding, which may increase the surface area that engages or that
is ultrasonic welded to the trim cover assembly 24 and may help
reduce the distance by which the heater wire 22 extends from the
surface 60. The cushion 26 may be positioned or installed on the
seat bottom 12 or the seat back 14 and the trim cover assembly 24
may then be installed over the cushion 26 as shown in FIG. 12.
[0030] Ultrasonic welding of a heater wire 22 directly to a
substrate 20 configured as a trim cover assembly 24 or cushion 26
may replace a laminated heater pad assembly that is provided as a
separate component and installed between a cushion and a trim
cover, thereby reducing manufacturing steps, material requirements,
and associated costs. For instance, a laminated heater pad assembly
that is manufactured a separate component may include a heating
element that is sandwiched between layers of the heater pad
assembly. Such a laminated heater pad assembly employs more layers,
material, and manufacturing steps than the ultrasonically welded
embodiments described herein. In addition, a laminated heater pad
assembly must be installed in a seat assembly. As such, the
laminated heater pad assembly may be mispositioned, folded, or
damaged during assembly or may move after installation, thereby
resulting in degraded or inadequate heating performance or may
utilize additional fasteners, stitching, or adhesives to secure the
laminated heater pad assembly.
[0031] While exemplary embodiments are described above, it is not
intended that these embodiments describe all possible forms of the
invention. Rather, the words used in the specification are words of
description rather than limitation, and it is understood that
various changes may be made without departing from the spirit and
scope of the invention. Additionally, the features of various
implementing embodiments may be combined to form further
embodiments of the invention.
* * * * *